Albula Alps

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Albula Alps
Albula Alps.jpg
Bergüner Stöcke (Piz Ela, Corn da Tinizong and Piz Mitgel)
Highest point
Peak Piz Kesch
Elevation 3,418 m (11,214 ft)
Coordinates 46°37′N09°52′E / 46.617°N 9.867°E / 46.617; 9.867 Coordinates: 46°37′N09°52′E / 46.617°N 9.867°E / 46.617; 9.867
Naming
Native nameAlbula-Alpen  (German)
Geography
Albula-Alpen.png
Albula Alps
The borders of the range according to
Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps
Country Switzerland
Canton Graubünden
Parent range Western Rhaetian Alps
Borders on Oberhalbstein Range, Silvretta Range and Bernina Range
Topo map Swiss Federal Office of Topography swisstopo

The Albula Alps are a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland. They are considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps, more specifically the Western Rhaetian Alps. [1] They are named after the river Albula. According to AVE (see map), the Albula Alps are separated from the Oberhalbstein Alps in the west by the Septimer Pass and the valley of the Sursés; from the Plessur Alps in the north-west by the Landwasser valley; from the Silvretta group in the north-east by the Flüela Pass; from the Sesvenna Alps in the east by the Inn valley (Engadine); from the Livigno Alps in the south-east by the Inn valley; from the Bernina Range in the south by the Maloja Pass and the Inn valley.

Contents

The chief summit of the Albula Alps is Piz Kesch, which is also the highest summit of the Eastern Alps north of the Inn. Other mountains with both a high elevation and a high prominence are Piz Calderas, Piz Ela, Piz Ot and Piz Vadret. The Albula Alps are drained by the rivers Albula, Gelgia, Landwasser and Inn and Mera. Near the Lunghin Pass is the tripoint between the Gelgia, Inn and Mera. [2] This is the tripoint between the basins of the North Sea, Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea.

The main road passes crossing the Albula Alps (from central Graubünden to Engadin) are the Julier Pass and the Albula Pass. On the margin are also the Flüela Pass and the Septimer Pass (bridle path only). The Albula Pass, in the middle of the range, is also an important axis of the Rhaetian Railway, connecting Chur to St. Moritz through the Albula Tunnel. Both pass road and railway traverse the locality of Bergün on the river Albula, the most central town within the Albula Alps.

Peaks

The main peaks of the Albula Alps are:

PeakElevation
Piz Kesch 3,418 m (11,214 ft)
Piz Calderas 3,397 m (11,145 ft)
Piz Julier/Gülgia 3,380 m (11,090 ft)
Piz d'Err 3,378 m (11,083 ft)
Piz Ela 3,339 m (10,955 ft)
Piz Üertsch 3,267 m (10,719 ft)
Piz Ot 2,645 m (8,678 ft)
Piz Jenatsch 3,250 m (10,660 ft)
Piz Vadret (S-Chanf) 3,229 m (10,594 ft)
Piz Sarsura 3,178 m (10,427 ft)
Tinzenhorn/Corn da Tinizong 3,173 m (10,410 ft)
Piz Lagrev 3,165 m (10,384 ft)
Piz Mitgel 3,159 m (10,364 ft)
Schwarzhorn (Flüela) 3,146 m (10,322 ft)
Piz Porchabella 3,079 m (10,102 ft)
Hoch Ducan/Piz Ducan 3,063 m (10,049 ft)
Piz Bial 3,061 m (10,043 ft)
Piz Forun 3,052 m (10,013 ft)
Piz Arpschella 3,032 m (9,948 ft)
Piz dal Ras 3,028 m (9,934 ft)
Gletscher Ducan 3,020 m (9,910 ft)
Piz Griatschouls 2,972 m (9,751 ft)
Piz Grevasalvas 2,932 m (9,619 ft)
Piz Neir 2,906 m (9,534 ft)
Piz d'Urezza 2,906 m (9,534 ft)
Chrachenhorn 2,891 m (9,485 ft)
Wuosthorn 2,815 m (9,236 ft)
Piz Lunghin 2,780 m (9,120 ft)

Passes

Albula Pass road and Albula Railway crossing the Albula river Albulapass In Switzerland (110510259).jpeg
Albula Pass road and Albula Railway crossing the Albula river

The Albula Alps are crossed by one railway tunnel, under the Albula Pass. The main mountain passes of the Albula Alps are:

Mountain passlocationtypeelevation (m/ft)
Fuorcla Calderas Mulegns to Bever snow313010,270
Fuorcla d'Eschia Madulain to Bergün snow30089869
Sertig Pass Davos to S-chanf footpath27629062
TinzentorBergün to Savognin footpath27188918
Ducan PassDavos to Bergünfootpath26718763
Forcella di Lunghino Maloja to the Septimer Pass footpath26358645
Scaletta PassDavos to S-chanfbridle path26198593
Suvretta Pass St. Moritz to Val Beverbridle path26188590
Fuorcla d'Alp FontaunaBergün to S-chanffootpath26158580
Grialetsch PassDavos to Susch footpath25468353
Flüela Pass Davos to Suschroad23897838
Albula Pass Bergün to La Punt Chamues-ch road23157595
Septimer Pass Bivio to Val Bregaglia bridle path23117582
Julier Pass Thusis to Silvaplana road22877504
Maloja Pass St. Moritz to Chiavenna road18155955

See also

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Albula Pass

The Albula Pass is a Swiss mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden. It lies at the heart of the Albula Alps, on the watershed between the Albula, tributary of the Rhine and the Ova d'Alvra, tributary of the Inn. Overlooking the pass are the ranges of Piz Üertsch (north) and Crasta Mora (south).

Bernina Range

The Bernina Range is a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. It is considered to be part of the Rhaetian Alps within the Central Eastern Alps. It is one of the highest ranges of the Alps, covered with many glaciers. Piz Bernina, its highest peak, is the most easterly four-thousand-metre peak in the Alps. The peak in the range which sees the most ascents is Piz Palü.

Sesvenna Alps

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Oberhalbstein Alps

The Oberhalbstein Alps or Platta Group are a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland and northern Italy. They are considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps. The Oberhalbstein Alps are separated from the Lepontine Alps in the west by the Splügen Pass; from the Plessur Alps in the north by the river Albula; from the Albula Alps in the east by the Septimer Pass and the river Gelgia; from the Bernina Range in the south by the Val Bregaglia.

Plessur Alps

The Plessur Alps are a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland. They are considered to be part of the Western Rhaetian Alps. They are named after the river Plessur, which originates from the center of the ranges. The Plessur Alps are separated from the Glarus Alps in the west by the Rhine valley; from the Rätikon range in the north by the Landquart river valley (Prättigau); from the Albula Alps in the south-east by the Landwasser river valley; from the Oberhalbstein Alps in the south by the Albula river valley.

Flüela Pass Swiss mountain pass

The Flüela Pass is a high mountain pass of the Swiss Alps in Graubünden. Traditionally considered the boundary between the Albula and Silvretta Alps, the pass crosses the watershed / drainage divide between the basins of the Rivers Rhine and Danube. The pass is overlooked by the Flüela Schwarzhorn and the Flüela Wisshorn. The summit of the pass lies between the lakes Lai da la Scotta and Lai Nair.

Piz Kesch

Piz Kesch (German) or Piz d'Es-cha (Rumantsch) is a peak in the Albula Alps of the Rhaetian Alps in Switzerland. At 3,418 metres (11,214 ft), it is the highest peak in the Albula Alps and the municipality of Bergün, Grisons.

Piz Lunghin

Piz Lunghin is a mountain in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, located in the Albula range, overlooking the Maloja Pass. It is considered as the "roof of Europe" as the peak is nearby the triple watershed of the Lunghin pass. Water running off this mountain can head towards the Mediterranean, the North Sea and the Black Sea, respectively by the rivers Po, Rhein, and Danube.

Bernina Express

The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site known as the Rhaetian Railway in the Albula / Bernina Landscapes.

Piz Corvatsch Mountain in the Bernina Range in Switzerland

Piz Corvatsch is a mountain in the Bernina Range of the Alps, overlooking Lake Sils and Lake Silvaplana in the Engadin region of the canton of Graubünden. With an elevation of 3,451 m (11,322 ft), it is the highest point on the range separating the main Inn valley from the Val Roseg. Aside from Piz Corvatsch, two other slightly lower summits make up the Corvatsch massif: Piz Murtèl and the unnamed summit where lies the Corvatsch upper cable car station. Politically, the summit of Piz Corvatsch is shared between the municipalities of Sils im Engadin/Segl and Samedan, although the 3,303 m high summit lies between the municipalities of Silvaplana and Samedan. The tripoint between the aforementioned municipalities is the summit of Piz Murtèl.

Schwarzhorn (Flüela)

The Flüela Schwarzhorn is a mountain of the Albula Alps, overlooking the Flüela Pass, in the canton of Graubünden. With a height of 3,146 metres above sea level, it is the highest point of the Albula Alps north of the Fuorcla da Grialetsch. From the Flüela Pass a trail leads to the summit.

Piz Lagrev

Piz Lagrev is a mountain of the Albula Alps, overlooking Lake Sils in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. On its northern side lies the Julier Pass. Reaching a height of 3,165 metres above sea level, Piz Lagrev is the culminating point of the range lying between the Septimer Pass and the Julier Pass.

Western Rhaetian Alps

The Western Rhaetian Alps are a mountain range in the central part of the Alps.

Scaletta Pass

Scaletta Pass is a mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It lies in the Albula Range of the Alps. The path from Dischma leads to Cinuos-chel in the Inn Valley. This means it is a crossing from the German spoken Davos area into the romansh spoken Engadin and additionally a crossing from the northerly drainage basin of the river Rhine flowing into the North Sea and the south side of the drainage divide, emptying its waters into the Black Sea via Inn (river) and Danube. During summer Scaletta pass combines several routes for hikers and Mountainbikers. Instead of just crossing the main pass you can also head via Val Funtauna towards Keschhütte and continue to Bergün. An annual Swiss Alpine Marathon crosses the pass as well.

Piz Blaisun

Piz Blaisun is a mountain of the Albula Alps, located north of the Albula Pass in the canton of Graubünden. Its summit is the tripoint between the Val Tuors, the Val d'Alvra and the Val d'Es-cha.

References

  1. Reynolds, Kev (2005). Walking in the Alps, 2nd ed., Cicerone, Singapore, p. 275, ISBN   1-85284-261-X.
  2. Swisstopo topographic maps